Interested in reading about our time in Moscow? Click on the Moscow link in the Categories section to your right.

Getting In/Out:

Moscow is serviced by three airports: Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, and Vnukovo. You’ll likely use one of the first two.

Sheremetyevo, in the north, is the closest airport to the city, though the highway into the city is one of the busiest roads in Moscow: it’ll take anywhere from 45min to 2 hours to get into the city by car. You’re far better off taking the fast and convenient Airport Express train, with service between the airport and Belorussky Train Station (linked to the Belorussky metro station). Trains run every 30 min and the journey lasts 35 min. Sheremetyevo’s facilities vary depending on which terminal you’re using: terminal D has baby changing stations and play areas, conveniently located once you’ve gone through security though at the departure level you’ll have to take the elevator down one floor to access facilities. Terminal E is brand spanking new, and although there are signs for baby changing stations, they don’t appear to be open yet. Terminal F is the oldest, and a bit on the ghetto side; no facilities available there.

Domodedovo, to the south of the city, is also serviced by Aeroexpress trains- the journey takes about 45 minutes, with trains leaving every 30 minutes to/from Paveletsky Train Station (connected to Paveletsky metro station). The aiport itself has baby changing facilities and a play area once you’re passed security. Note though that, on the arrivals end, luggage often takes forever to arrive, strollers that were gate-checked need to be picked up with luggage and take even longer to arrive, and there are no baby changing facilities in the arrivals terminal.

Getting Around:

Moscow is a massive city. Luckily, the metro system is extensive, efficient, and cheap. Unfortunately, most stations also have a ton of stairs, making life miserable for stroller-toting parents. Trains tend to be packed during rush hour (especially on the circle line), and people wont necessarily make way for a stroller, though they’ll happily smile and make faces at your child during the ride. Note that signs in the stations are all in Russian, though metro maps on the trains themselves list station names in both Russian and English.

Walking around Moscow can be pleasant, depending on where you go. Certain areas, such as in and around Red Square, and Starry Arbat, offer pedestrian-only areas with several points of interest nearby. More likely though, you’ll be stumbling over crumbling sidewalks, dodging cars, and giving your glutes a crazy workout on the stairs up and down the underpasses used to cross major streets. In the winter, walking can be particularly hazardous, as sidewalks are super-slick and snow is often cleared from streets, only to be pushed up against sidewalks. All that said, there’s no better way to see the city than on foot. So long as you’re prepared for some… adventures, walking around Moscow can definitely be enjoyable.

Breastfeeding:

While babies abound in Moscow, you’ll rarely see a mother nursing one in public. I know they do it, I’ve seen it in private spaces! So you might get some looks when you nurse in public, but as Russians generally tend to mind their own business, you shouldn’t be bothered too much.

Scratch that! The other day I was walking through a shopping mall food court, and saw a mama, in line to buy a burger, feeding her toddler. And nobody stared except me! Yay, so excited to see another breastfeeder!!

Parks and Playgrounds:

Moscow has a surprisingly large number of green areas. In the city centre, you’ll find urban parks such as Gorky Park, Victory Park, and the Statue Park. If you have a chance though, far better are the sprawling parks located just outside of the city centre, and accessible by metro, such as Izmailovsky Park, and Kolomenskoye Park.

For a more detailed description of Moscow’s Parks, see my post here (coming soon!)

Moscow’s playgrounds, on the other hand…. well, let’s just say that if you’re kiddo hasn’t had their tetanus shot, you might want to find somewhere else to play. While abundant (every one of those large residential blocks has their own small playground), they are truly of poor quality, and often have more drunks and punks than children.

Baby Facilities:

Change tables in public restrooms are really hard to come by. Your best bet could be shopping mall bathrooms, but even there you’ll be hard-pressed to find a decent diaper-changing spot. And I have never seen a change table in a restaurant here, even ones that claim to be kid-friendly. Most restaurants do, however, provide high chairs.

Baby Supplies:

Supermarkets have an abundantly-stocked baby section, with jar food of various qualities, diapers (very expensive!) and even baby water. Seriously, why do babies need special water? You’ll find European, American, and even Japanese baby brands.

If you need any other supplies, head over to Detsky Mir  (on Lubyanka Square), a massive toy store that also carries other baby-related products. All large shopping malls also have a children’s section, with Mothercare being the biggest and best-stocked store.

Got any questions about Moscow not answered here? Any tips or suggestions? Feel free to leave a comment below, or send me an email!